BOSTON – As the legislature prepares for a debate over state revenue-raising options this fall, the Raise Up Massachusetts coalition of community organizations, religious groups, and labor unions today sent a letter to legislators calling on the Massachusetts business community to contribute themselves to fund investments in transportation and public education, not just ask working people and road users to pay more.

“We need major new investments in transportation and public education, but we cannot continue to balance our budgets solely on the backs of low- and moderate-income people,” reads the letter. “Large, profitable corporations and their lobbyists are calling for working people to pay more, and they think they deserve a big round of applause for letting the rest of us pay higher taxes! The Massachusetts corporate community needs to explain just how businesses plan to do their part to fund our transportation and public education systems.”

In recent weeks, business organizations across Massachusetts have discussed transportation financing concepts that would have road users pay even more, without taking any responsibility for businesses themselves to chip in.